driving felling wedges... what do you use?

[MEdooGuide]

I've been using a small council camping Axe the past couple years to drive my felling wedges and to be quite honest.... it sucks. Small head doesn't leave much room for error and it's light weight so occasionally there isn't enough oomph to drive a wedge on a tight tree. Suggestions?

 

[Philbert]

I use my Fiskars axe to drive plastic bucking wedges. I use a sledge hammer (softer metal) to drive metal splitting wedges.

Phbert

 

[2dogs]

I think you will find most professional fallers use a 3-5 pound axe on a 26-28 inch handle. I think a 5lb is best but I often use a 4lb head on a 20" handle that fits in my Grizzly Peak belt scabbard.

 

[2dogs]

Don't listen to Philbert, the Minnesota mosquitoes have bitten him one too many times. A Fiskars axe will mangle plastic wedges. Stick with a 'Merican made axe head with a wide flat pole. Look in the flea markets around town and you will probably find a decent axe head for under 5 bucks. Bailey's or Madsen's can sell you a handle.

 

[lfnh]

Collins, Kelley or early Craftsman
Plumb are all good. Rounding over the edges will keep from barking up the wedge

 

[Westboastfaller]

yeah I use a 3 1/2 Lb and cut it off at 22" for west coast with
K& H wedges all the way,10s and 12s even in small wood…Many come with a standard 17" handle which is plenty for smaller wood.

 

[mdavlee]

I got a 2.5. 3,5, and 5 lb axes. The 5 lb is a 28" handle council from Madsens. The others ate cheap truper. I want t find a nice Collins head.

 

[hillwilliam]

I have an old rafting axe of the smaller size - a 3# Collins, probably. Most of the fallers in Washington had the bigger 5# one when I worked there 30 years ago. What I use mostly is a BIG plastic wedge to drive the smaller ones. I used to carry a big aluminum wedge in my pouch, mostly for that duty. I just carry the plastic one now and keep the axe handy with my fuel jugs (my saws are pigs). I've gone back to carrying my wedge pouch on my person, even for firewooding, as we are now sposta carry a fire extinguisher. I'm liking having my wedges handy when bucking, and I'm liking the old BIG wedge trick.

Looks like I need a new avatar picture. I finally gained back the 12# of meat I fed to Nicaraguan intestinal parasites.

 

[HuskStihl]

Stumpy sledge. 6lb sledge cut off to 24". Dirt cheap with the fiberglass handle

 

[Dilly]

8lb splitting maul


Sent from the international space station

 

[Dilly]

And several smaller axes and hatchets depending on the work to be done varying from 2.5 to 5lb's in weight


Sent from the international space station

 

[CTYank]

3.5 lb Council "jersey pattern" axe with 36" handle.

Sometimes, when just setting wedges but not driving them, a locally cut chunk of ~3" limb will do as a mallet. Less toting.

 

[Poindexter]

I use my axe. More tools in the truck, less wood home per trip.

 

[MEdooGuide]

I use my axe. More tools in the truck, less wood home per trip.

I agree with using an ax. I'm more concerned about size of the ax. As I stated, mine is too small to be effective

 

[KenJax Tree]

Bfh

 

[Deleted member 83629]

i use metal wedges and sledge hammer 10lb deal.

 

[cupar]

While I'm a big fan of using an axe, I've used a felling lever as well, Also on Thursday I used a round I'd cut off the tree I was felling, on friday I used a branch off a tree I was felling, today I used a brick next to the tree I was felling. I don't bring an axe to work and work won't give me an axe so I make it work with what I got on hand. This means I don't try to wedge over 80'+ trees either.

 

[hatchet13]

18" estwing axe is my go to

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[066blaster]

8 lb splitting maul. It's nice to have around anyway if your cutting big rounds. And it only takes a few swings. And I don't like carrying anything on my belt. Paint the handle orange so I don't loose it.

 

[OLD MAN GRINDER]

I use a 4lb sledge with a 15 in handle and steel splitting wedges.....

Bob....